Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: In a big relief for food businesses, the country’s food regulator has made licences valid for life.Under new rules notified by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), food licences and registrations will now remain valid permanently, unless cancelled for violations. This means lakhs of restaurants, small eateries and vendors will no longer need to renew their licences every few years. The move is part of a wider overhaul aimed at making compliance easier while tightening actual food safety checks.One of the biggest gainers of the decision would be street vendors. Those already registered under street vending law will now be automatically treated as registered under food safety rules as well, removing the need for multiple registrations and fees.The regulator has also simplified how businesses are classified. Units with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore will only need basic registration, while bigger businesses will require state or central licences based on size.The new system will come into force on April 1.Inspections, too, are set to change. Instead of routine checks, authorities will now follow a risk-based system: businesses with a good track record will face fewer inspections, while repeat offenders will be checked more closely. Officials say the idea is to reduce paperwork and focus on actual food safety.At the same time, FSSAI has made it clear that there will be no relaxation in hygiene standards, especially for high-risk sectors like dairy, meat and packaged water.With most food businesses coming under ambit of state authorities after the changes, states will play a bigger role in monitoring and enforcement.For small businesses and vendors, the message is simple: fewer licences, less hassle — but stricter checks if rules are broken.
